The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus embodied as, e.g., a copying machine, a facsimile (FAX) apparatus, a printer or a composite apparatus having two or all of a copying function, a facsimile function, and a printing function.
Recently, copying machines in which copy modes (i.e., copying conditions), such as the number of copies, are manageable for each of different people and departments using the copying machine are in wide use. In such a copying machine, identification information such as an ID number or a password is registered. A user can be allowed to use the copying machine when the user enters through an operation panel of the machine or from an external apparatus the same identification information as that registered.
Further, there are also widely spread multi-job type copying machines which accept a plurality of jobs and execute the jobs sequentially. In this specification the term “job” refers to a series of operations including input of image signals, development, transfer of an image to copying paper, and delivery of copying paper. In the copying machine of this type, when a job is accepted, an ID number is allotted to the job. Then, the user is allowed to cancel or alter the job by inputting the ID number to the machine.
The copying machine of each of the above two types is adapted to display identification information such as a department code specifying a department using the machines, an ID number of a user, or a job number indicating a job in execution, on a screen of the operation panel or the main body of the machine to meet the convenience of the user.
However, a large number of characters and numerals indicating set information, status of the copying machine, and the like are required to be displayed on the screen having a limited display space. Thus, it is difficult to secure a space for displaying the department code, the ID number, and/or the job number in the screen. Even though the screen has such a display space, the department code, the ID number, and/or the job number are arranged along with much other information on the screen. Therefore, it is difficult for people not accustomed to operating the copying machine to readily find where information of the department or the job is displayed on the screen.
Composite apparatuses having two or more of a copying function, a facsimile function, and a printer function are also in wide use. FIGS. 42A and 42B show an operational panel of a composite apparatus of this type. The operation panel 905 is shown having a start key 911 for starting an operation, a stop key 912 for stopping the operation, a reset key 913 for initializing the screen or a set mode, a numeric keypad (ten key pad) 914 for inputting numeric information such as the number of copies, telephone numbers, and the like, and a clear key 915 for clearing input numerals. The operation panel 905 is further provided with a function switching key 920 for switching the copying function to the facsimile function, and vice versa. The function switching key 920 incorporates an LED (light emitting diode) 921. When the function switching key 920 is turned off and the copying function is selected, the LED 921 does not emit light, as shown in FIG. 42A. On the other hand, when the function switching key 920 is turned on and the facsimile function is selected, the LED 921 emits light, as shown in FIG. 42B. Accordingly, by looking at the LED 921, the user can recognize which of the copying function and the facsimile function has been selected.
However, people not accustomed to operating the composite apparatus are likely to be unaware of the LED 921, thus having difficulty in finding the selected function.
Meanwhile, to obtain a desired copy output, recent copying machines have a large number of copy modes (image-forming conditions) which can be set by a user. The copy modes are classified into two groups: 1) basic function-related copy modes such as the number of copies, paper size, copying magnification, density, and the like and 2) applied function-related copy modes such as free registration, mixed document placing (mixture of different document sizes), and the like. On the other hand, in view of cost, the size of a display screen of the operation panel of the copying machine is not so large as to cope with the increase in number of the copy modes. Thus, it is difficult for a user to intuitively know which of the basic function-related copy modes and the applied function-related copy modes have been set or whether neither the basic function-related copy modes nor the applied function-related copy modes have been set or not.
Due to the increased number of copy modes as described above, a known copying machine has a programming function. That is, the copying machine is adapted to store a plurality of different programs incorporating value-set copy modes. A user calls a desired copy mode by pressing a program memory key to immediately place the machine in the state that the copy modes written to the program have been set. However, the existing copying machine is not designed so that the user can intuitively know which of the programs has been called.
Further, in copying machines having many copy modes, various devices are made to obtain an optimum copy output by using the copy modes. For example, when a copy mode is set by the user, another copy mode is automatically set where necessary. However, again, the existing machines are not designed such that the user readily know the presence and contents of a copy mode set automatically in relation to a copy mode set by the user.